PONDER AS YOU READ…THEN RETURN TO RESPOND! A diary is “a daily record, usually private, especially of the writer's own experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, etc.” (dictionary.com). As you’re reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, consider how Alexie’s book does / does not support this definition. Respond by sharing & explaining an example of your choice. Include page reference (4)! Finally, consider what effect is created since this work is presented as a "diary". You may also want to consider Sherman Alexie's life: http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/authors/p/alexie.htm .
Monday, June 18, 2012
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Diary?
PONDER AS YOU READ…THEN RETURN TO RESPOND! A diary is “a daily record, usually private, especially of the writer's own experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, etc.” (dictionary.com). As you’re reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, consider how Alexie’s book does / does not support this definition. Respond by sharing & explaining an example of your choice. Include page reference (4)! Finally, consider what effect is created since this work is presented as a "diary". You may also want to consider Sherman Alexie's life: http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/authors/p/alexie.htm .
PONDER AS YOU READ…THEN RETURN TO RESPOND! A diary is “a daily record, usually private, especially of the writer's own experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, etc.” (dictionary.com). As you’re reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, consider how Alexie’s book does / does not support this definition. Respond by sharing & explaining an example of your choice. Include page reference (4)! Finally, consider what effect is created since this work is presented as a "diary". You may also want to consider Sherman Alexie's life: http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/authors/p/alexie.htm .
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The book supports the dictionary.com definition in the way of a recoding the writer's experiences, observations, attitudes, and feelings. Junior openly tells us everything, hiding only a few things, like the conversation he had with his coach (149). Other than that, he tells us everything, even his boner when he learned his sister died (201-202)and his idea of an proffesional masturbators league (26). The daily record part of the definition kind of works with the book. Junior records what happens every few days in one chapter. It's not always every day and usually 3 days to a week at a time. Some chapters can only be one thing, like the letter (133-134) and e-mail (99-100) from Mary and his report card (214). It isn't always every day, but usually close. Also, the usually private part isn't even close. The book has about 22 awards/bestselling praise in the first page of the book and 25 quotes from newspapers and many authors. Millions of Americans have probably read it also. This diary is certainly not private or anywhere close.
ReplyDeleteThe definition of diary fit the book almost completely. The only part I see not fitting it is the private part of the definition, which is because it’s not really private if the diary was made into a book. This book is a personal diary complete with some of Junior’s drawings, which makes it personal to him. The book mentions moments important to Junior that year, making it even more like an actual diary. Skipping days sometimes weeks at a time, it shows how sometimes a person is too busy to do things like write down what happened that day. This book is like a diary also because of Junior’s lists (176-178). It makes it where he can write something down that he might not want to tell people. Pretty much all the things that make a diary a diary is in this book, it has a good reason to be called a diary.
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ReplyDeleteSherman Alexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, does support this definition. The first reason is his attitude. One of the attitudes that he sends through the book is about alcohol. He hates it and because of it, he has gone to about forty-two funerals. (199-200). Another reason is that he writes down his feelings for girls. In the chapter, Tears of a Clown, he writes about a girl named Dawn. He makes a confession to Rowdy stating that he loves her. After Rowdy says that Dawn doesn’t love him back, he starts to cry. This would be something private in which he wouldn’t tell anybody, but write in a diary (74-76). He also puts in his experiences. One of his experiences is with his basketball team and how they won the game. He wrote about the experience he had guarding Rowdy and how he only let him score two baskets (191-196). Finally, he put private information about himself in the diary. At the beginning of the story, he talked about his condition and how he was born with water on his brain. He also talked about how he stutters and has seizures. This was something private that he had put into his diary. Sherman Alexie presented this book as a diary, thus creating the effect of looking into someone’s brain and life. This is why I think that Alexie’s book does support the definition of a diary.
I think that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian definitely supports the definition given of what a diary is. The entire "diary" is full of his experiences and emotions, just like a real diary would be. An example of this would be when Arnold talks about how beautiful Penelope is (pg.113). He writes down his feelings for her and even writes down some questions he wants to know about her. Another example of Arnold talking about his feelings and observations would be when he writes about his grandmother being killed (pg. 157). I think he really has mixed emotions here because he talks about how he would beat the man who killed his grandmother to death, but at the same time his grandmother wants his family and him to forgive the man. Because the book is written as a diary, I think the effect that is created on the reader is that you feel a lot of emotions along with the writter of the diary. You really delve into their life and understand the person more. I find it to be a wondeful effect and it makes the book more enjoyable. So overall, I think that the book supports the definition of a diary very well!
ReplyDeleteThis definition of a diary is very fitting to Alexie’s book. It agrees with all the parts of the definition. Every chapter is usually another day or special event in Junior’s life; it may skip a couple times by a week or a month but is usually daily. It is also very private like it is Junior’s actual diary, because nowhere in story does it mention that Junior’s family or friends have any idea that he has a diary. This story is obviously based off the life of the author Sherman Alexie. Nearly every part of Junior is the same as Sherman except the name and when he was born, so a diary was a great type of story to write seeing that he could write from his own experiences, feelings towards different subjects in life, and emotions that he felt throughout his childhood. Junior tells us very private things like how he felt when his grandmother (157-167), Eugene (169-176), and sister died (201-213). In real life I highly doubt that he would have shared his feelings about these deaths with anything but his diary and possibly Rowdy. Having the novel be in the form of a diary creates an effect that Junior is an actual person and that you are actually experiencing his feelings and emotions. That is why I think Alexie’s book supported the definition of a diary.
ReplyDeleteI think that Alexie’s book supports the definition of a diary almost perfectly. I look at each of the book’s chapters as being a new post in the diary, and although the posts are not always daily, they don’t really need to be. If the book was exactly like a diary is supposed to be, it would not be very interesting. For example, there were some periods in the book where nothing really happened for a few weeks, so Alexie skipped those parts and went ahead to when the next interesting event took place. If the book was written like a true diary is, the days within those weeks where nothing happened would be rather boring to read. Although this diary is obviously not private, it truly doesn’t have to be. The definition says that diaries are usually private, not that they must be. After all, if it was private, we wouldn’t have the pleasure of reading it today. This diary is definitely written perfectly to express Alexie’s own personal experiences, observations, feelings, and attitudes. A good example of this when Junior reveals all the emotions he feels when Oscar dies (11-14). He most likely would not want to discuss how he felt that day with anyone but himself and his diary. If he ever did talk about it with someone, he probably would not tell them the full extent of his anger and sadness he felt for fear of embarrassment or humiliation. Because this book is written as a diary, it has the effect of making the reader feel more emotionally connected to the people in the book. Knowing that the events you are reading about are actually true and not just the happenings of a made up character really make the book feel more raw and honest. If this novel wasn’t written as closely to a diary as it was, it would lack the emotional connection that it needs to engross readers in the story and its characters.
ReplyDeleteAlexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, does support the dictionary.com definition of a diary. Most of the stories Junior tells the reader are events or feelings that a majority of people would only write in their diaries. An example would be when Junior writes, “Yep, I have to admit that isosceles triangles make me feel hormonal.” (25) Not a lot of people would tell anyone that, however it is something they would write in their diaries. A second example of Junior revealing his inner most feelings is when he is telling about his grandmother’s death. “I think my dad wanted to go find Gerald and beat him to death. I think my mother would have helped him. I think I would have helped him, too.” (157) Another reason why this story is a diary is when the reader is told “secondhand information.” An example of this would be at the first basketball game that Junior plays at Wellpinit High School (142-147). When Rowdy knocked Junior out, everything that the reader is reading is “secondhand.” If the book was not a diary, the reader would not know what happened after Junior was knocked unconscious. They would only know what happened after Junior woke up in the hospital. The last reason that shows that this book is a diary is how the reader is able to know how Junior really feels. A good example would be when his father apologizes for running away on Christmas Eve (150-151). Since the story is a diary, the reader knows that Junior does not think that it is “okay.” Since the book is revealing Junior’s personal stories and thoughts, I believe the definition of a diary is met. The effect created since the book is written as a diary is to help the reader connect in a personal way with Junior’s experiences.
ReplyDeleteThe book definately follows the definition of a diary because nobody reads the diary other than Junior. He shares all of his opinions about the way others look and about the reservation itself. Junior's sketch of Mr. P (29) is his own interpretation of the teacher that could be taken offensively that he may not want anybody to see. Therefore, this diary is private. Also, this account is written in daily or almost daily. Junior shares practically all that happened in each of the days that he wrote about. He also tells about how he feels about being poor (8-9). In the chapter titled "Why Chicken Means So Much to Me," Junior goes on a small rant about how being poor means being hungry. The diary is a way that he can let his anger out without acting out. Because this book is a diary, Junior shares more personal thoughts and feelings which could not be portrayed as easily in another form of literature such as third person omniscient. The reader also has a more personal relationship with the narrator. This book would not be enjoyed to the same extent if Junior's experiences were not shared through the form of a diary.
ReplyDeleteThe book “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” really does live up to its title. Within this title it is explained that this book is a diary, and it is exactly that. Throughout the book Junior explains many private and sometimes even embarrassing details. For example: Junior talks about his mother crying due to his sister getting married (89). Another example: Junior talks about his conversation with Penelope. This conversation includes their dreams and what they want to do when they are older (111-113). These are both examples of personal experiences in which the writer’s observations and feelings are expressed. These details are written in the book and partially prove that it really is a diary. Although the book does include private events, one may point out that it is not a daily record of his life. This may be true, but according to merriam-webster.com, a diary can be kept at “frequent intervals”. In this case, the diary is written in intervals of one important event to the next. No, this book does not completely support the definition, but, including the insight of merriam-webster.com, it still is a diary. By presenting this book as a diary, the author gives himself the freedom to fully explain every detail of his experiences, including emotions. Therefore the reader is fully immersed in the author’s life through his perspective. “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” is a diary that truly puts the reader in Sherman Alexie’s shoes.
ReplyDeleteI think Alexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, definitely follows the definition given. Nowhere in the book does it say that others read his diary, meaning that it is private. Also, Alexie does not leave anything out when he writes. From his self esteem to his emotions and thoughts, throughout the book he consistently shares everything. I think most people would be very concerned how the public would interpret each situation, and because of this, Alexie took a very big risk. Each chapter resembles a new chapter in his life, and Alexie is honest on each occasion. There is only one time where he is unwilling to share his feelings and words said. This happens between his basketball coach and himself while he is at the hospital (149). All other times, he openly questions what he doesn’t understand (67) and gives his honest opinions toward the world we live in (45). I think because this book is presented as a diary, it brings awareness to what life is like for Indians living on reservations. This summer, I had the opportunity to drive through an Indian reservation and the poverty there was almost overwhelming. Many times, Alexie says “only white people have hope” (45), and I think today’s world should take that more seriously.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Sherman Alexie's "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" does follow the dictionary definition of a diary. Agreeing with Grace Bitticker, Arnold does not share his feeling that he records with anyone. It is similar to the Diary of Anne Frank. It is personal until it is published for the world to observe. Despite his later publication, Alexie puts very personal information into the book such as when he discovers that Penelope is a bulimic (106-107). He helps her though it and tells her to not give up. The entire time, he is still talking about how sexy she is even though she is throwing up in a toilet. He talks about all of his personal feelings in this public diary. Presenting this book as a diary was a smart choice because it gives readers the feeling of looking into the deepest part of Arnold's mind. They know that he is not going to lie with what he writes. Readers feel as if they get the truth right from the source.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a true diary. When Arnold tells us about his parents (11,13), he explains things that he already knows. Since a diary is a book about someone’s feelings, experiences, and life, Arnold would have already known the things he said about his parents. If it were a true diary, we would have learned about his parents throughout the book, not in the two pages he gives us their history. He spends most of the book explaining things that wouldn’t have been explained if it were a true diary. You normally would have had to infer what Arnold tells you. By explaining things, and not just letting the reader infer, Sherman Alexie made his book into a novel, not a diary. However, because he presents this book as a diary, it has the same effect as a diary. The reader learns the true feelings of Arnold, not just what the rest of the world sees. You learn how Arnold thinks, how he views the world, just like you would if it was a true diary.
ReplyDeleteI believe the book mostly follows the definition extremely accurately. Although, few aspects are not quite up to par. One example of it not following the definition is when the definition says it is a daily record. This book is categorized into chapter, and sections in Junior's life. Also, unlike the definition states Junior's diary is not private, which is quite obvious. Other than that I would say the definition is a spot on description of the book. He really opens up on certain pages of this book, about topic such as his dogs death (13). The reason an author would use this style of writing is quite simple in my opinion. A diary type style lets you get into the mind of the main character. It lets you learn what makes him tick and what keeps him going, and it also tells you his deepest darkest fears. This helps you form an attachment to the main character. This book is definitely a good example of a diary, but it is not perfect.
ReplyDeleteThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian is not the typical definition of a diary. It is not a daily record of Arthur’s life and does not give exact dates for each entry. It does however follow his life in chronological order. One of the most important parts of a diary is that it contains the writer’s experiences, emotions, and personal views on life. In the “diary”, Arthur always explains his life from his point of view. He makes his emotions clear. For example, on pages 216-217, when they visit Mary’s grave, Arthur writes about all of his emotions for his family, his future, the world, and his tribe. One of the elements that make the emotions so realistic is that the author, Sherman Alexie’s life closely resembles the life of Arthur Spirit. He probably took numerous elements from his childhood and added them to the book. He had felt these emotions and therefor, he was able to enhance their power in his writing. Emotion makes a book more believable, interesting, and relatable. Putting this book in diary format allowed Alexie to add more emotion to it. This book resembles a diary in every form of the definition except that it is not written on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading through my fellow classmates comments, I must note it was interesting to see the diversity of everyone’s opinions. For me though, there are many reasons I found proving that
ReplyDelete“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian” both does and does not follow the definition of a diary, and after much debate with myself, I just can’t choose a side.
I will start with the side that it should not be considered a diary. First and foremost, Junior starts off the book talking about himself! I used to have a journal, and I would never do that, and I mean, unless he’s telling the journal about himself, which is highly unlikely, it makes no sense. Yes, I understand you have to describe the main character somewhere in a book, but if you read the word before my comma, I said book, not diary. Second, the thing that bothered me, was instead of putting the dates in a corner, he usually separated the days with chapter titles. This brings me to the point of, “Who the heck has chapters in a diary?” This is yet another characteristic of a book, making this even less like a diary. The next reason may sound a little critical, but every word in the book is practically spelled correctly, and I know that when I am writing anything, I always make spelling mistakes like any normal person does. In his cartoon of his Grandmother, he mentions her famous Salmon Mush, which is ok, but under it, he puts (Way better than it sounds) as if he was writing it to someone, again. Unless he knew this “writing” was going to be published, that should not be there. These are some of the reasons “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian” should not be considered a diary.
I will end with the side of why it should be considered a diary. First of all, in the book, he mentions all of his feelings. Diaries are meant for pouring out your feelings, whether it’s cartooning, or just words. Second, in the book, he swears multiple times. Using these words make it seem like a 14 year old kid actually did write it in my opinion because I know if the author didn’t add those little words in, it would make the book seem as if it was written by an adult. A minor detail in the book helps to the side of it being a diary, and this being him loving geometry and making a big deal about it, then never talking about it again, even while at his new school. This may seem like a pointless detail, but it shows that he forgot that he wrote it, meaning he didn’t go back and read what he wrote. To explain what I mean by this, take this example. When writing a book or paper, you go back and read through it again to make sure everything is ok, but with Junior, he makes a big deal about geometry at his old school, and then never mentions it at his new school. These are some of the reasons “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian” should be considered a diary.
Sorry for not being able to chose a side, but both sides to me had reasonable arguments (not literally) and I felt this was the only way I could express my opinion.
I agree with Colleen when she wrote that the book both does and does not support the definition of a diary. Like some of my classmates have written, the book is obviously not private if it is published as a book. It also isn’t a daily record of Arnold’s life. Some chapters are only of one day like the chapter “Dance, Dance, Dance (118-129).” Other chapters, though, could be of a whole month (82-98), or just a letter from his sister (133-134). On the other hand, the book seems to record the author’s experiences. After reading Sherman Alexie’s biography, I saw that Arnold’s story is just like Sherman’s childhood. I would also assume that, even though the book was written as Arnold’s feelings, that they are Sherman’s feelings, observations, and attitudes. Because the work is presented as a diary, which makes written in first person, the effect is you hear the author’s voice clearly. It makes the book sound like it is coming from a kid’s perspective and that it is written by the kid at the time of the events.
ReplyDeleteThis book is definitely very similar to the definition of a diary, but it has a few differences. I have to agree with Bryce about how Junior's diary is not a daily record and it does not include exact dates. Another thing I think that doesn't seem like a diary, is the dialogue. A Diary usually doesn't include a conversation, it's usually just thoughts written down. That is really all that doesn't relate to the definition, but other than that, his 'diary' includes many of his own experiences, his likes and dislikes, and a lot of his personal feelings. Arnold really opens up about his personal life experiences in this diary, like for example, in the chapter where his sister passes away, he realizes a lot of different things happening in his life. (199-213) In the beginning of the chapter he mentions how many funerals he's witnessed in his short life, including his own grandmothers, and his father's best friend's. The crazy thing is, he talks about how 90% of the deaths were from alcohol, and then he opens up about his hate for it. Shortly after he talks about that, the guidance counselor comes in to tell Arnold the news about his sisters death, from alcohol. That's when he shares his experience of how he deals with the death and his depression. He really opens up and goes into detail. Also by the end of that chapter, Arnold runs into Rowdy and they have a talk. Rowdy actually says that it's Arnold's fault that his sister is dead. (211) This is when Arnold really talks about his personal feelings, and makes the book feel more like a diary.
ReplyDeleteAlthough "diary" is a defined term, the concept of a diary is often interpreted as a personal work that can be utilized in any way seen fit to an individual. However, when being compared to a traditional "diary" as defined by dictionary.com, Alexie's book both conforms and disagrees with the concept. The first disputable attribute of Alexie's work would be the tone and format in which it is written. Most traditional diaries are written in a day-by-day format, or follow structure by date. The pace of Alexie's book moves rapidly throughout Junior's life, lacking structure other than the organization of chapters, which is typical of a book. Additionally, the way in which information is presented and the story is told takes on the tone of someone telling a record of their life, rather than someone focusing specifically on events in their life. This quality is difficult to demonstrate, due to the presence of the attribute throughout the novel.
ReplyDeleteSupporting the definition of a diary, Junior provides detailed insights into his observations, feelings, and attitudes throughout his "diary." Some are very personal: "...isosceles triagles make me feel hormonal..." (25) Others heartfelt: "...Rowdy and I are inseperable..." Some simply expressions of emotions: "I love my big sister." (152) An attribute of Alexie's book that distracts from the qualities in presents as a diary is the amount of dialogue throughout the book. Many of Junior's observations, feelings, and attitudes were evident through the dialogue presented throughout the book. Dialogue of this type ( "What kind of books did she want to write?" I asked. "You're going to laugh." "No, I'm not." "Yes, you are." "No, I'm not." "Yes, you are." [37]) is uncommon in typical diaries, but nessecary in books. In conclusion, Alexie's book presents qualities of average novels that are uncommon in traditional diaries, but holds content that conforms with the definition of a traditional "diary."
Sherman Alexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, doesn’t represent a diary in some ways but does in other ways. First of all, in accordance with the definition of diary that was provided, a diary is a “daily record”. Arnold writes and draws about main events that happen in his life, but he does not record them daily. For example, he summarizes the holidays in one chapter (150-151). Also, diaries are typically not organized by chapters but rather day-by-day. In addition, he recalls and writes about events that happened in the past rather than writing about them when they happened. For example, he wrote about how he and Rowdy had climbed the monster pine tree near Turtle Lake when they were younger (220-226). Recollecting some of the things from his past makes the story more reader-friendly but makes it less like a diary. In defense that it could be considered a “diary”, it is private, and it does consist of his experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, and interpretations. Since this work is presented as a “diary”, it affects the reader more personally and helps put the reader in the position of the writer. It compels the reader to feel what the writer of the diary feels rather than what they would feel if they were put in that position. This helps the reader reflect more on the content of the book, especially the way the author intended for them to.
ReplyDeleteSherman Alexis’s book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian both supports and doesn’t support the definition of a diary. A way it does support the idea of a diary is because it is about Arnold’s own experiences. One example of this is on page 49 when Arnold talks about a personal experience he had with Rowdy. He talks about the football game when they played Reardan and lost 45-0. (49) He also talks about on page 50 about another time when Reardan came to the reservation to play them and they lost again. (50) Arnold also gives his own observations and opinions on the games which supports the definition of a diary. Another example of the book being a diary is in Arnold’s cartoons. Arnold draws the people he interacts with all the time. One example of his cartoons is when he draws a cartoon of his teacher Mr. Dodge and compares him to a volcano. (85) It shows how he sees Mr. Dodge and gives the reader an idea of what he looks like, but since this is a diary, Arnold could see it different then other people in his class. One way this book isn’t like a diary is because the story isn’t written in a format that shows that it was written in every day. It is more like a story than a diary because of the format it is presented in. The effect that is created since the book is called a diary is because it is actually real! According to About.com, Sherman Alexie is exactly how Arnold is described. Alexie lived on the Spokane Indian Reservation and later attended Reardan. He also even had the book with his mother name in it. He also was born with hydrocephalic just like Arnold. Even though it isn’t written in a diary format, the book is a true diary about Sherman Alexie.
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ReplyDeleteThis novel did, I believe, meet the definition of a diary. He recorded his experiences, his feelings, his attitude toward the world, and his wants and needs all in this book. During Mr. P's confession (32-43) Junior records their conversation pretty much word-for-word along withheld his thoughts and emotions. He writes so you can understand everything that goes on in their conversation and Junior's mind. The book being presented as a diary gave it more of a personal feeling, as well as making it feel more real. It makes it more believeable. I think Sherman Alexie was correct in calling this a diary. He even made the cartoons look as if they were taped into a diary, to add to the effect. Presenting this book as a diary had a good effect on how the book was read and changed the experience entirely.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in most ways this novel does represent a diary, but in one important way it does not. Due to this, I believe it is not technically a diary. It follows some of the guidelines of being a diary due to fact that the author records his feelings about every important event that happens to him. He does this in situations such as when he firsts goes to his new school in Reardan (page 54), when his grandmother dies (page 157), and when his sister died (page 202). He gives an in depth description as to how he feels about all of these situations as if a being a diary. However, it does not completely fit the requirements of diary because it is not a daily record. He constantly says how things happen days or weeks apart without telling us what happened between those dates. One time that he does this is when he talks about his season ending in basketball and then skipping a few days forward to his conversation with Rowdy (page 197). This is why I believe that this novel is not a diary.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this novel can be percieved as a diary but also as not a diary. What you think is based on your opinion, but my opinion is that the novel is a diary. Although the diary is not a "daily record" it doesn't have to be that it's that persons sole diary and he/she can choose to log whatever and whenever they want and junior would sometimes do a dialy writing but is sometimes written in when major occurences happen such as his decision to transfer to Reardan(54), the deaths of his grandmother(157), sister(202), and Eugene, his basketball games(146-147,190-196), etc. These are solely his thoughts and his opinions that are kept private because others could be quite offended of some of the things he has to say or has drawn (ex. his drawing of Mr. P.(29))That is why I believe this novel is a diary.
ReplyDeleteWhether this novel is considered a diary or not depends on how precisely you follow the definition. In my opinion, this novel is not a diary, but a first-person narrative. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, a first-person narrative is “a narrative or mode of storytelling in which the narrator appears as the ‘I’ recollecting his or her own part in the events related, either as a witness of the action or as an important participant in it.” I think this particular novel fits that definition more precisely than the definition of a diary. However, the two definitions are actually very similar. The only main difference separating the two is that a diary is a “daily record” of events, while a first-person narrative has no stipulations on when and how often the events of the story are recorded. Arnold shares his observations, feelings, experiences, and attitudes countless times in the novel. One example of this is when he says “I could have easily killed myself, killed my mother and father, killed the birds, killed the trees, and killed the oxygen in the air” (pg. 173). This sentence is wrought with emotion, and it would fit in both a diary and a personal narrative. Despite the fact that the novel is technically a personal narrative, I understand why the author would call it a “diary” in the title. It gives the impression that the book is simple and relatively easy to read. But, if you wish to follow the precise and correct definition, you should classify this book as a first-person narrative.
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming that Arnold is a fictional character. I am also assuming that Arnold's story is really Alexie's story. If this is the case, then Sherman Alexie's book is not a diary. Although he records his own personal thoughts and feelings, it isn't really HIS personal thoughts and feelings, it's Arnold's. Alexie may be the author of the book, but it's still Arnold's story. You can't write a diary for someone else, because that would just be a biography. It is debatable whether this book is an autobiography or not, because the main character is not the author, even though he actually is. That may not make sense, but it does if you really think about it. Another reason why this book is not a diary is because it isn't private. The definition of a diary says it is usually private, so it means it isn't always, but this book is really not private at all. It's a New York Times Bestseller, and it has won a National Book Award. To me, that's about as un-private as you can get. In the book, Arnold says, "So I draw because I want to talk to the world. And I want the world to pay attention to me."(Page 6). In the book, Arnold draws a lot, and he draws in his "diary". So, if this is also what Alexie thinks, then that means he wants his writings and his art to be seen by the world. Alexie didn't want his story to be private, so he published a book. I think the book is more enjoyable for people to read from Arnold's point of view. I think it's easier for people to read from a fictional character's point of view, even if the events in the book really did occur.
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